Belle Reals joined Lyons of Limerick on her eight month co-op placement, giving her the opportunity to explore the fast paced environment of Munster's largest automotive group. Keep reading to learn more about her experience. 

As part of my undergraduate degree, I completed an eight-month cooperative placement at Lyons of Limerick. During my time there, I not only got to work in various departments and franchises, but I was also given the opportunity to work in their Lyons of Nenagh branch. Some of the departments I worked within included Accounts, Marketing, Human Resources and Service. Working in these multiple departments provided me with the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of teams comprised of individuals from various backgrounds. Some franchises/brands I was fortunate to work in consisted of Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, and BYD.

My placement at Lyons of Limerick was extremely valuable from both a personal and professional perspective. Not only did it give me the chance to learn from experienced colleagues, but it also helped me to learn from clients, and that the customer experience you provide is everything. My skillset has developed massively from navigating different software’s to applying analytical thinking.

Having majored in Human Resource Management, I thought I was limited to this as a career option. Co-op has given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons by working in several departments such as Finance and Marketing. I would encourage any student who has a similar opportunity on co-op to be open to this challenge as it not only allows you to obtain practical knowledge of each sector, but it also expands your future prospects, guiding you on your professional path.

As this was my first experience in a professional setting, as it may be for many other students, I felt that relating to topics covered throughout several modules helped my learning. I was fortunate to work in a variety of franchises each of which represented a different culture. Each franchise offers unique experiences based on the culture of each brand, which originated from the US, UK, and China. The subject of organisational culture has been such a significant element of the material covered throughout the semesters that I felt although I had little experience implementing this knowledge, I could use any expertise I gained from the course to my advantage to practical use. 

It goes without saying that co-op tested my ability to adapt after having been supported by the UL campus, staff, and students for the two years prior leading up to my placement. The organisational environment is an extremely fast-paced, constantly changing one. I was lucky enough to work at two out of three of the company’s branches while on placement. This, combined with working across numerous departments and teams, meant I was continually immersed in new surroundings and never allowed to become too comfortable. This allowed my skills to evolve throughout the course of the whole eight-months. Though challenging, the responsibility of coordinating the Limerick and Nenagh branches to work collectively in the interest of the company’s efficiency was highly rewarding.

I am very thankful to the Cooperative Education Division and my co-op Officer at UL for their support throughout the last two years in the preparation and completion of my placement. I am also extremely grateful to Lyons of limerick for the co-op experience as it has aided the growth of my skills in the workplace and the experience, I have gained will assist me in my final year of studies at the University of Limerick.